On the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Reservation

August 1997

Read from buttom up

August 1997 Two tribal police officers arrested.

Tribal Police officers Koski and Meyer were arrested and will be arranged
in Baraga County Court on September 16, 1997. The charges are destruction
of property. The officers tore off a bumper and remove a sticker from a
car belong to Kim Gauther which said "Fry Fred" a sticker which
is a parody of the stickers Fred Dakota supporters have of "Free Fred".

August 1997

EPA is investigating the company that the tribal council hired to tear
down the tribal center building. The EPA states that the company did not
apply for permits. The asbestos from the tribal center is within legal limits
they said.

August, 1997

Fred Dakota's sentencing date has been moved back. Judge Robert Holmes
Bell will sentence Fred Dakota at 8:00 a.m. on November 5th in Marquette
instead of Grand Rapids on September 30.

August 14, 1997 Tribe to buy Dakota's gas station

The tribal council decided to purchase Dakota's gas station for $500,000.00
in a special meeting today. Dakota then told the council he would return
$127,000.00 to the tribe to make up for the money he and Jerrold Polinsky
illegally skimmed from the tribes slot machines proceeds. The only appraisal
for the value of the property presented to the council was one from Dakota
himself. One wonders how come Fred doesn't pay back the enormous attorney
fees?

August 1997
Council to keep Dakota as CEO

The council decided to keep Dakota on as CEO of the KBIC even when it goes
against the constitution. Boy, what a one way street.

August 1997
Well they did it, the council signed an agreement with the Marquette County
Police to have cross deputation. So much for sovereignty.

8-6-97

In a Letter to the Editor of the L'Anse Sentinel

Tribal Constitution?

In a July 30th Sentinel article , Michael Chosa stated that FFJ wanted
to change the KBIC constitution which deals with qualifications concerning
tribal membership. Chosa continues by reciting Article IT Section I (b)
which states "Every child of one-quarter or more Indian blood, born
hereafter to any member of the KBIC provided such member is a resident of
the reservation at the time of birth of said child, and every child both
of whose parents are members of the community".

When talking about qualifications for membership in our tube, Chosa says
" IT IS THE LAW" The law he is talking about derives from the
KBIC constitution and the KBIC tribal government.

What he doesn't realize is that our tribal government was never a choice
of ours. The constitution was never written by our people for our people.
Our tribal government was formed as a result of an assimilative U. S, policy
called the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. The Act was a personal crusade
of then Indian Commissioner John Collier to establish constitutional tribal
,Governments under the supervision of the Department of the Interior. He
was adamant that Indian Nations realize the benefits of organization under
the Indian Reorganization Act and an approved IRA constitutional form of
government.

Collier ignored the possibility that Indian Nations might want to exercise
their own self determination. He didn't believe that Indians could govern
themselves, So instead of self determination for Indian nations, we got
the IRA and our tribal constitution.

So you can, see that the KBIC constitution was not created for the preservation
and protection of our people It was created for the control and assimilation
of our people. One aspect of the KBIC constitution that exemplifies this
is Article II Section I (b) This article is used to tell us who we are.
We don't need the U S. government, through the IRA, to define who we are
and who belongs to us.

I'm sure the U.S. government would consider the Act a success when they
see Indian people using tribal constitutions and tribal governments to carry
on the United States' policy of assimilation.

Now it doesn't seem so strange to me that Indian people would want to correct
this position that was imposed upon us by the U. S, government We don't
enjoy true self-determination, We enjoy some modified form of colonialism
with improved welfare benefits. All we are asking for is the tight to self-determination,
It is as simple as that.

Eddy Michael Edwards (Jondreau)
Anihnabe Nation

August 1997

FFJ 2nd annual Pow-wow was a great success. People came from as far a Alaska
to attend